China wins women's gymnastics
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He Kexin, Yang Yilin, Li Shanshan and Cheng Fei, wave to the crowd during the gymnastics Women's Team Final at the Beijing 2008 Olympics, Wednesday, Aug. 13, 2008. (AP Photo/Julie Jacobson)
Beijing: China upset the error-prone United States in the women's gymnastics team final at the Beijing Olympics on Wednesday.
China's score of 188.9 points was more than two points ahead of the Americans, a blowout in a competition that was supposed to be decided by the slimmest of margins.
It was the first Olympic gold for China, who beat the Americans for their first world title in 2006. And it was yet another disappointing silver medal for the Americans, who came in to the Athens Games as overwhelming favorites only to falter and lose to the Romanians.
This year, Romania finished third.
With the two best gymnasts in the world and the Olympic gold medal at their fingertips, the Americans bumbled and fumbled it away.